Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1887-11-26
sABBATAI SEW.
The False Messiah of the jews of Asia
Minor.

The False Messiah of the jews of Asia
Minor.
A slight sketch of the career of this ex-
traordinary deceiver is all that is here
necessary, as we wish more especially to
enter into the customs and precepts of the
descendants of his followers as we find
them now in Salonika only. / was told
that a few families of these Dunmehs ex-
list still at Adrianople and in other Turkish
towns, but these are of Salonikan origin.
80 that TO all intents and purposes the
Dunmehs of Salonika are the sole repre-
sentatives of the once numerous followers
of the false Messiah. This community Is
formed of about 1000 families, and num-
bers 5000 souls, all dwelling together in
one quarter of the town, and all held in
bondage by the same curious ties.
Sabbath Sew was a Smyrniote Jew, born
in 1925, and the son of broker in that
city; he was clever youth, and so well
versed in the Cabala and other Jewish
books that at the age of IS he was rIade
rabbi. Doubtless some accouhls of the
Fifth Monarchy men, and the then much
accredited report that the Messiah was to
reappear in 1866, reached Smyrna and
worked upon his imagination SO much that
he decided to make himself out to be that
Messiah, and to assist his object he secretly
caused reports to be promulgated to the
effect that prophet would shortly appear
who would rob the Sultan Of his crown and
restore again the kingdom of Israel.
When he thought that the right time
had come, 10 the dismay of the Smyrniote
rabbits he pronounced the name "Jeho-
yah" aloud in open conciave, for which of
tense he was summoned before tribunal
and condemned to die, but doubtless he
was prepared for this, and had arrange
ments made for his escape from Smyrna,
and with the one object in view he went as
= pilgrim to Egypt and Jerusalem, where
he chose as his Elijah one Nathan Benja-
min, a man of ascetic life, who protested to
see visions. Before returning TO SMYRNA
he sent his attendant, Nathan, before him
to prepare the way, and in the capacity Of
4 second St. John the Baptist to announce
that he was coming to deliver men from
the oppression of the Turks, and to lead
back the Jews to Palestine. Nathan did
his work well, writing a circular letter adj
dressed to the Remnant of the Israelites,
peace without end" the result being that
intense and mad excitement seized upon
the Jews of that place. They nearly
killed themselves with penances; they
administered to one another thirty-nine
lashes and tortures of all kinds; and an
influential jew. Pennia by name, whose
daughter prophesied and wrought mira
Giles, assisted Nathan in his work of prepa-
ration.
In due time Sabbath Sew landed in
Smyrna, styling himself the king of
Kings" and so carried away were the peo-
pie by his adroit eloquence that throne
was set up for him in the synagogue, and
from Smyrna prophets were sent all over
the Turkish dominions to all the Jewish
colonies to preach that "the true Messiah
OF the race of David was come, and that
10 him the crown and the kingdom was
given" At this juncture Sew yentured to
elect from among his most trusted follow
erS twelve Princes who were to act as
Generals to the twelve tribes on their
journey back to their country and, as we
know from English records, the report
reached even as far as our own shores, and
that there was some talk of sending Eng
fish ships to assist in the transport, and
even the skeptic Spinoza, from all he
heard, was at one time inclined to waver
in his disbelief The scenes of frenzied
excitement in Smyrna were intense, and
gave place to eager fanatical worship of
Sew; presents poured in to him from all
parts, until at length the Sultan was
reused TO action and summoned him to
Adrianople.
The story of Sevis interview with the
Sultan is well known, and how the holy,
noble and divine Messiah was ordered by
that pOtentate to choose between three
things-either to work miracle and
thereby prove his identity; or to have
three poisoned arrows shot at him by the
Sultan himself; or 10 become Moham-
medan. " | am follower of Mohammed,"
replied Sew to this test, and turning to his
followers, who were dismayed beyond
measure at the collapse of their hero, he
added, land he was numbered among the
transgressors"
The extremely firm hold that Sew had
established over his followers is evinced by
the tenacity with which many adhered to
him after his exposure and his fall. These
devoted followers did not scruple to en-
brace Islamism themselves and likewise to
be numbered among the transgressors; and
with certain secret reservations, into which
we will so presently, large bodies of Jews
became Mohammedans at this period.
They were the ancestors of the thousand
families of Dunmehs who live at Salonika
to-day.
Sabbath Sew died in 1875 in prison at
Belgrade, but his followers gave out that
he was not really dead, but had assembled
into heaven, and now at Salonika, in their
secret places of worship, called Kals,"
they always keep beds ready, in which the
Messiah may repose from the fuigdes
of his second advent. Probably from the
fact OF his having disappeared from the
world at Belgrade they have decided that
at his second coming he will visit them by
way of the northern road, known rs the
Uskup road; therefore, every day man is
dispatched in this direction to meet him.
When q. Salonika | was told lately, since
the opening of the railway from Uskup to
that town, the point had been raised in
their assembly that he might come by
train. Accordingly, an eve has to be kept
on the station on the arrival Of each train
from the north. The custom finds para!-
lei among the other Jews of Salonika
but their opinion is that the Messiah will
come by sea, SO on the Day of Atonement
they go down to the sea TO meet him, and
at the same time perform the quaint rite
of casting their sins into the Bay of Salon
ik;,-that inexpressibly lovely bay, which,
if 1t could relate to Us the customs of the
various cults that have fourished on its
margin, would have strange tales to leIl.-
Lopgpsass's Magazine.